[kenyee]

Don't. Let the dealer do it as part of the sale (you usually get free installation on accessories you buy at the time of purchase).

My brother and I spent an hour struggling to get one of the front mud flaps on last night and failed. Damn brackets kept popping off (now the clips are stuck in them so we probably have to buy new brackets) and couldn't get the "self-tapping" screws into the plastic. It's almost impossible w/o taking the wheels off despite what the instructions say. I think you'd need a power screwdriver to get enough speed on the screws to tap into the plastic liner.

They should make their engineers put on the stuff they design so they see how much their hands hurt afterwards. And do oil changes. And anything else a DIYer might try. Ack.

 

[Beng]

Its all in the design!!!

I bet they took the extra effort to design these things to discourage DIYs. Sorry you had to find out the hard way. [V]

 

[kenyee]

They should force the engineers to install anything they design

This has to suck dealer time up installing too. You actually have to yank the wheels to install them correctly

 

[Lynn]

Mud flaps

I installed the mud flaps Tuesday evening when I swapped the Pilot Sports for the Blizzaks. It took almost four hours, because of the mud flaps. I didn't have any problems with the clips. The problems were with the "self tapping screws". They aren't. The rear flaps weren't too bad. It does take a lot of force on the screwdrive while turning to get the screws to bite into the soft, and flexible inner fenders.

The fronts were a real bitch, especially the screws that go into the hard plastic of the rocker panel. If you have a drill, which I don't, use it to drill pilot holes in the plastic. A second tip is to go to the hardware store and buy some self tapping sheet metal screws and through away the screws which come with the flaps. You will save yourself a lot of pain. I was pushing so hard on the screwdriver, that I couldn't sleep Tuesday night from the pain in my arms and shoulders. I'm still sore and stiff today.

Drill pilot holes and get some different screws, and they'll go on much easier, but you'll still have to take off the wheels and tires.

 

[kenyee]

Put a cordless drill/driver on your gift list to yourself

One of the things I use most (much to my wife's surprise). Get a 12V Dewalt or Metabo and you'll be all set. They're especially useful if you've got wrist tendonitis problems...

Sorry to hear you had an experience w/ install hell as well. I'm surprised you didn't have problems w/ the clips. There was no way I could get the clips all the way into the brackets using plain hand strength. Drew said he smacked them all the way in w/ a mallet

 

[Lynn]

One clip took a little tappin with a small hammer.

But all the rest went one with thumb pressure, although it can't say it was easy.

Thanks for the recommedations for the cordless drill/driver.

 

[kenyee]

The clips I put in went in maybe 2/3 to 3/4 of the way

I could still see the jagged teeth of the clip. But then the bracket popped out of the mud flap and there doesn't seem to be a way to get the clip out of the bracket

 

[cold240]

Mud flap installation

It was a brutal exercise as portrayed by Kenyee! The instructions make it sound so easy. In my opinion you must have a power drill, rubber mallet{hammer}and extreme strength to hold the mud flaps in place,while tightening those clips!I did it myself but would recommend having help.

 

[Drew]

Wow and it looked so simple...

It was a brutal exercise as portrayed by Kenyee! The instructions make it sound so easy. In my opinion you must have a power drill, rubber mallet{hammer}and extreme strength to hold the mud flaps in place,while tightening those clips!I did it myself but would recommend having help.

In the instructions, LOL. I'm glad that the dealer did it for me []

 

[Lynn]

I would have been simple if I had a drill, and not really difficult with real self tappi...

I would have been simple if I had a drill, and not really difficult with real self tapping screws. I didn't find the clips to be a problem except that they needed to be tapped into position.